


The power of a random compliment

by Tabata



Series: Leoverse [308]
Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe - Slavery, M/M, sex slaves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-13 04:28:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29520870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tabata/pseuds/Tabata
Summary: Blaine's (second) farewell to arms is not going very smoothly. As Leo watches Blaine struggling with his own goodbye speech, he has an interesting conversation with an unexpected someone.
Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Original Male Character(s)
Series: Leoverse [308]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/30541
Kudos: 1





	The power of a random compliment

**Author's Note:**

> Written for: Lande di Fandom's COW-T #11 (Week 2 - M2)  
> prompt: A Farewell to Arms (Ernest Hemingway)

It's early spring, which in this part of the world means temperatures way higher than Leo would connect to the season. But he's enjoying the warm wind coming in through the open windows, after experiencing the coldest winter of his life – and being born and raised in the North, that says something. 

The whole household seems to be flourishing in the suddenly warmer air. Everybody is nicer and more cheerful after four months of short days and freezing nights. Even the maids that usually hate Leo with a passion – just because he gets to give orders even though he's still officially a sex slave – are less confrontational with him. The new sun and the smell of flowers brought a general good vibe that even softens Lord Anderson's presence in the house.

Actually, if Leo has to be honest, the man has softened quite a bit on his own during the past months. Blaine's almost-death on the battlefield and his consequent miraculous return have given him a new perspective on life and now he's only annoying two out of three times, which is a great improvement considering that he managed to be annoying even when he wasn't present.

Spring is not the only reason why Lord Anderson has been temporarily – stress on the adverb – living with them, though. After the war has been fought and won and the country has gained yet another province, it's time for Blaine to put an end to the abusive relationship he has with the army once and for all. Or at least that is what Leo got away from the very posh letter that arrived a while ago. He never gets interested in official matters on principle, because they never take _him_ into consideration, so he didn't this time either and, as a result, he is now a confused witness to an entire household plunged into madness.

All the linens have been taken out of the wardrobes, washed and ironed. All the silverware have been polished to blinding brilliance. The tailor has made a whole set of new clothes for everybody, including Leo. Maids are running left and right, cleaning and brushing and dusting. The cook changed menu five times already and, judging by the screaming coming from the kitchen at every given hour, Leo suspects the sixth time is on the way.

Cody is so busy rearranging the whole house that Leo barely sees him until it's time to go to bed, where he proceeds to be all _come here_ and _I want you both_ , but then he falls asleep before either of them can take his pants off. This exceptionally frustrating detail is driving Leo mad and he thinks he's doing a great job at not getting annoyed. He should be rewarded.

And on top of that, the craziest thing of all the crazy things that are happening, Blaine has been doing one thing and one thing only for the past three weeks and that is writing his speech. Now, the man has never been a fine speaker – it's hard to be one when you're so blunt that you make people angry every time you open your mouth – but this is not his first rodeo, Leo thinks, so all this work for what is basically a thank you note is unacceptable. What does he have to write, anyway, except _I will never fight ever again, no matter how many times you call me. Sincerely, Blaine Anderson_?

Slouching on an armchair in Blaine's office, Leo watches him as he paces non-stop, from the desk to the door and back in an infinite loop, repeating the opening sentence of his speech and getting stuck on the same word all the time. The celebration is tomorrow and he can't even start speaking, this is not going well.

Leo is about to stop the poor man from hurting himself like that when he smells Lord Anderson coming. “I thought it was you,” he snorts. “The smell of stale clothes and nastiness precedes you.”

A few months ago – almost a lifetime at this point – Lord Anderson would have demanded his head on a silver tray for those words. Now, he comes standing right next to him, hands crossed behind his back. “Of course you are here,” he says. “You never fail to make yourself useless.”

“You can do better than that,” Leo comments, his eyes never leaving Blaine.

“It's early. I have no doubt you will do something that will require a better chastisement,” the man says confidently. “How does it proceed?”

“Splendidly! He has approximately a paragraph and he can recite only half of the first sentence,” Leo sighs. “I can't even see the point. Hadn't he already gone through this whole thing once already?”

“What _thing_? And would you put down those feet? I understand you have been raised like a wild animal, but this is no excuse to act like one in the presence of your better! If you have to stay, you must at least be civilized! I've seen trained monkeys at the market more well-mannered!”

Leo rolls his eyes but he does put his feet down. “I'm just saying, he left the army once already, and from what Cody is telling me, there was a whole ceremony and everything. Then they realized that they were going nowhere without him, go figure, and they called him back. He went, he fought, he killed, he won. They even gave him a medal for surviving. I suppose they knew he wasn't going to go back to be a general, didn't they? So what's the point in making all this fuss and say goodbye yet again? Wouldn't it be more classy to just stay quiet and let it be?”

“Oh but it's not just about saying goodbye,” Lord Anderson shakes his head. “It's about honoring him, it's about a proper farewell. I see that it's hard for you to understand, being you what you are—“

“An actor, I am an actor,” Leo says, like someone who has been saying that a lot lately. “I'm just temporarily a sex slave.”

“—but there is a proper way to do everything,” Lord Anderson goes on as if Leo hadn't even spoken. “And this is the right way for him to leave the army for good. Besides, there have been developments. They granted him his permanent leave.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning that, in the event of another war, he won't be called back,” The old man goes on, nodding, pleased to be put in the position of explaining something, especially to him. “He won't have to go back unless he wants to.”

“Ah! There's the catch! They won't call him, but they _will_ count on his sense of duty,” Leo snorts. “Army people are the worst.”

“But he could not go,” Lord Anderson insists. “It would be his right to refuse and he would be well within the law in doing so.”

“Have you met your son?”

Lord Anderson almost laughs. He catches himself just in time, but Leo sees it and smirks, very pleased with himself. “My son is very responsible and he would want to go, but I believe he could be persuaded to stay.”

“You can bet your humongous house that I would stop him,” Leo nods, “Even if it meant to knock him out.”

Lord Anderson straightens his back, standing tall and lean like a very ugly but well-raised reed, hands still crossed behind his back. “I'm counting on it,” he says softly, without looking at him. “Cody is too pliable. You, on the other hand, are ruthless, stubborn and arrogant.”

“But I also have flaws.”

“I know you could stop him. I expect you to deliver on the only thing you could actually be useful for.”

That gives Leo pause, for just a moment. “Wait a second! Was it your version of a compliment?”

There's the ghost of a smile on the old man's lips as he takes a few steps towards his son. “Now, let's see if I can help him with this speech,” he says, walking away. “We really don't have all day, do we?”

“No, wait! You have to tell me! Was it a compliment?”

But Lord Anderson is already gone.


End file.
